Lesa Semmler

Member Inuvik Twin Lakes

Minister of Health and Social Services

Lesa Semmler currently serves as the Member representing Inuvik Twin Lakes in the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, having been re-elected to the position. Born in Yellowknife, NT, and raised in Inuvik, where she still resides, Ms. Semmler has deep roots in the Northwest Territories. 

A Registered Nurse, Ms. Semmler graduated from the Aurora College Northern Nursing Program in 2000 and earned her Community Health Nurse Certification from the Canadian Nurses Association in 2008. With 15 years of frontline nursing experience at the Inuvik Regional Hospital, she focused on Acute Care, Homecare, and Public Health. Her career also included roles as the Manager of Acute Care Services and eventually the Regional Manager of Acute Care Services under the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority. Notably, she served as the Inuvialuit Health System Navigator at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, assisting Inuvialuit Beneficiaries in navigating the healthcare system. 

Beyond her healthcare career, Ms. Semmler has actively contributed to education and community service. She served on the Inuvik District Education Authority, assuming the role of Chair from 2015 to 2018, and chaired the Beaufort Delta Education Council. Ms. Semmler participated in various working groups at the territorial and national levels, including the Inuit Tuberculosis Elimination Board and the Inuit Midwifery Revitalization. Her commitment to social justice is evident in her voluntary work as a member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Family Advisory Circle, where she worked to ensure northern voices were heard and represented. Lesa Semmler's life and career reflect her passion for healthcare, education, and advocating for the well-being of her community.

Inuvik Twin Lakes Electoral District

Committees

Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Constituency Office

125 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 203
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
867-678-2429
Minister
Email
Email
Minister of Health and Social Services

Statements in Debates

Question 481-20(1): Medical Travel Accommodations for Mackenzie Delta Residents
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do commit to doing this as I also -- you know, with part of this medical travel piece, we are working -- you know, this is a conversation that comes up with -- at the Council of Leaders. It comes up in bilaterals with Indigenous governments. It comes up with constituents. So I have heard from many residents and these are all the things, as the Minister, that I'm taking in account while looking at the bigger -- the medical travel -- modernization of how we're moving patients in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 481-20(1): Medical Travel Accommodations for Mackenzie Delta Residents
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker -- and thank you to the Member. You know, the issues with the boarding home, unfortunately, the increased travel that has happened, especially from the Beaufort Delta, I think in the last number it was almost 45, 50 percent increase in travel, which Keskorie who currently has the contract, their facility is unable to accommodate that. Even though they moved from that old facility to the new facility with more beds and more space, they still are unable to accommodate that. What they are doing, though, and they have been, is working with other hotels and they...

Question 485-20(1): Mental Health Supports for the Deh Cho Region
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from my understanding, in those communities, that they can contact by phone, the services. I will have to get back to the Member on, you know, if there is possibility of them leaving or if there is a counsellor that travels into those communities. The level of detail that I have on hand, I don't have that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 485-20(1): Mental Health Supports for the Deh Cho Region
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from the information that I have offhand is that there are community counsellors in Fort Providence. I mean, I can say that the Deh Cho doesn't just necessarily draw the lines for the Member's jurisdiction but in there, Fort Simpson as well is where they have community counselling to service the residents of K'atlodeeche, Kakisa, and for those other two communities that belong to the Member's riding. So they can contact either Fort Simpson or Fort Providence for those services.

I can follow up with the Member if there's anything further that health and...

Question 481-20(1): Medical Travel Accommodations for Mackenzie Delta Residents
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member. And this issue is not new. If you think about the last government, I probably raised this on an ongoing scenario as well. And that's why, you know, we are not just doing a medical travel policy review. We are doing a medical travel -- a review of how we move patients and what is needed and taking into account all of the things that the Member has raised, many Members in this House have raised. This government and past governments, I think the one thing that we didn't expect was the issues that are arising around dental and that increase...

Question 472-20(1): The Role of the Public Administrator for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I cannot commit to a date right now. Things change rapidly. I may -- you know, maybe it will be sooner; maybe it will be at the beginning. There might be travel issues. There might be -- you know, there might be more information that is required. So to be able to come up with a plan to be able to present timelines, I will -- as I said, I will follow up and I will get back to the Members, and I will hopefully have a plan before the end of March. Thank you.

Question 472-20(1): The Role of the Public Administrator for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did say last week that I would -- you know, I'm meeting with the PA. I'm looking at, you know, his -- the timeline that he has that he's reviewing. You know, there's many regions within the Northwest Territories. He's here in Yellowknife doing the work that he's doing here. He still has to meet with the regional authority -- like, the regional health authorities. And so where I'm at right now is that hopefully we'll have a plan to bring forward to Cabinet and then to Regular Members in March. Thank you.

Question 471-20(1): The Role of the Public Administrator for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as NTHSSA, you know, when we look at a lot of our different departments within our ministries, NTHSSA is arm's length and, therefore, the public administrator will be working with the NTHSSA with whatever the budget is for the next coming year. And then when we do have that, that's when that will be tabled. That is the process, and you know, I know that this year it seems like there's a different approach in the process and with part of the work that we've been trying to do within, you know, making sure that we're staying within our limits and spending...

Question 464-20(1): The Role of the Public Administrator for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I'm working with the PA, once I have -- what is he doing right now is he's analyzing, he's working -- like I said, he's working with the regional wellness chairs, getting their feedback. He is doing the work that he needs to do right now with the CEO, understanding the complexities of our organization, and he will be coming back with a plan. And as soon as that plan comes back to Cabinet, I will be sharing it and discussing it with the Regular Members so that we're all 19 members in this House moving forward on a better plan on how we are going to make...

Question 464-20(1): The Role of the Public Administrator for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, you know, one of the things with the governing council, I will give it to those Members that sat on those -- that council from those four -- or from the communities, from the regions, they worked very hard representing their communities, bringing forward some of these issues, transitioning them into, you know, how to move this system forward. Many of them have been there since the beginning of the NTHSSA's creation. But the mounting pressure, the mounting financial pressures that they were raising, became clear that the complex situation that, you know...